Baby or beast?
by ryro-fanfiction-x3
Summary: What would happen if a baby was born with the curse for no reason? He would have to find love of course! Story better than it sounds! ch 12 is up!
1. Chapter 1

Theo gazed upon what his wife brought into the world a few days ago, for the first time.

He finally understood why she didn't want him to see his son until now.

No words could describe what he was seeing.

What was it?

The thing cradled in his wife's arm has in fact a baby.

A baby boy.

That was clearly not human.

Covered in brown fur from head to toe.

With a long tail, like a dog.

Animal features , small paws instead of hands.

And blue eyes , that were human.

Too human.

Agonizingly so.

His mind was filled with confusion and rage.

How was this possible?

What did they do to deserve this?

The next thing he did even surprised him.

He started to scream.

- What is that thing!?

His wife held the baby close to her, tears streaming down her face.

- Its a baby; she chocked out between sobs.

When he heard her say these words, he lost it.

- How can you say that!? Look at it Mary, it's a monster!

Theo yelled so loudly that the baby began to cry, quiet sobs in his mother's arms.

As if he could understand everything his father was saying.

Panicked, Mary tried to console that baby, knowing for sure that her husband would loose him temper if the infant made too much noise.

She placed her hand on the baby's cheek and slowly caressed the fur, so soft on his little face.

- How can you stand to look at it!? He demanded

Mary was out of words.

Yes, the fact that her baby was not normal bothered her.

He was still her child, no matter what he looked like.

- He is still my baby, Theo please understand.

- Understand! Understand what exactly?

That this thing in your arms is the baby you've always wanted!

You're going crazy Mary, Look at it! Whe have to get rid of that monster!

She hesitated, she didn't want anything to happen to her child.

Hearing this entire thing proved one thing to her. If her husband really loved her, he would love this baby as well.

Accept him, in spite of what he looked like.

She held him close and kissed the top of his head.

- Fine! I get the message. You would rather keep this freak than save your marriage!

I hope you get what you deserve! He yelled and slammed the door closed.

Theo was gone.

Without even realising it, Mary had chosen her baby over her husband.

Somehow she knew that she had made the right choice. She looked down at her baby,

This little baby had caused so much trouble in the short amount of time that he's been in the world.

She never wanted this to end this way. She didn't want her husband to see the baby until she got over her own shock.

She knew that this was going to happen. Theo would hate this child with all of his might.

There was nothing that she could do that was ever going to change that.

Her little boy has still asleep, with his little paws wrapped around a strand of her long, golden hair.

She couldn't stop looking at him.

She was so small and fragile.

So frightening and yet, so adorable.

She came to a conclusion. She would have to run away, alone with her baby.

She was aware that her husband would never leave her alone.

Se wanted that baby destroyed and she would do anything to keep it safe.

She packed her bags and left her home. Only taking clothes, money and a few personal items with her.

She knew she had to get out of town before Theo discovered that she ran away, or worst, before he could tell someone about her son.

What if someone came and took him from her?

Just thinking about such a thing made her extremely sad.

With everything that has happened in the last few days, she haven't had a chance to think of a name for her newborn baby.

She had no idea where to start, no inspiration whatsoever.

She looked at him and their eyes met. He had such beautiful eyes.

Blue, just like the sky.

His fur was slightly longer on his head and neck, making him look like a little lion.

- I think i will call you Leon. she said

The baby smiled up at her, as to say that he liked it.

That smile warmed her soul and for the first time, she felt like everything no longer mattered.

The only thing she had left in the world was her baby, her little Leon.

She knew that the road ahead was going to be filled with uncertainties but as long as they had each other, everything was going to be okay.

Holding on to her baby, being careful not to let anyone see his face, she got in her taxi.

She waited for her husband to leave the house before she called a cab. Knowing that Theo was going to try and stop her.

If that happened, the only chance she had of leaving would be destroyed.

He was still angry, enraged at what happened with the baby.

What scared her the most is that she had no idea what he would try to do next.

Would he try to find her?

Did he still want to kill Leon?

All of these questions were going on in her head.

Mary didn't know how long she had been sitting in the taxi.

The ride felt like forever.

Holding Leon close to her, she felt grateful that the taxi driver didn't notice that the baby's face was almost entirely covered.

Mary knew the dangers of letting someone see Leon.

They wouldn't understand.

She was afraid of what would happen if someone found out the truth.

What was the truth?

Despair started to take over her because she would probably never get the answers that she was looking for.

After a drive that took about 45 minutes, she arrived at her destination.

The old country house. which was far enough to be safe from the rest of the world.

Her husband ordered her to sell the house a few years ago, but she never did.

This was her little secret and for once she was glad that she lied to her husband about it.

This would be her new home.

A safe place to start a new life with her son.

Away from the cruelty of the world.

A place where Mary could raise her son ,without being afraid.


	2. Chapter 2

Things were getting difficult especially now that she couldn't go anywhere without taking her son with her.

Her son, Léon was changing rapidly.

His horrifying features were enhanced making him look even more monstrous than before.

In a matter of weeks, he wad grown a big deal. He was twice the size of an average 8 month old child.

His fur was longer, and of a darker brown colour and sharp teeth and fangs was beginning to grow .these changes were to be expected. Her son was anything but normal. His eyes, blue as the ocean, were the only thing that was not remotely frightening about him.

The physical changes in her son frightened Mary, and somehow he knew.

Every time Mary tried to touch him, he would pull away.

He became distant and sometimes he would stare at his reflection and it would make him cry.

She was surprised and heartbroken when she saw this for the first time.

She was taken back by his behavior. Didn't he know that he wasn't normal?

Then she remembered that her son had never seen another child, or anyone else except herself and Theo.

She got close to him, enough to see the tears streaming down his face. It was moments like this that truly made her realise how difficult this would be. She had to, one way or another; tell Léon that he wasn't like other children.

She would have to do it soon.

Mary sat on her bedroom floor, right next to her son.

A huge mirror was placed right in front of them. Both were looking at it, seeing their reflection, so close to each other.

She placed her hand on his shoulder and rubbed his back, stroking his brown fur with the tip of her fingers.

He fell asleep soon after, while his mother was holding him.

After this incident, she decided to go put her little one to bed.

She took him to his room so he could rest more comfortably. She layed him down in his bed and covered him with the soft and warm sheets.

She stayed in his room for a while, just to watch him sleep.

He looked so peaceful and calm. Watching him sleep was such a fascinating thing for Mary. Seeing her son so relaxed was relieving.

In the time that he was asleep, he didn't have to be aware of what he was.

That night after the incident, she didn't get any sleep. She felt like it would be inappropriate to go to bed when her little one needed her.

Being all alone was the worst thing for him.

He needed comfort and protection, and she was the only one who could give it to him.

She began to think about the future. About all the things, that her son, Léon would never be able to do.

Have a job, go to school, graduate from college, and find love...

That was the hardest thing to realise.

She accepted him, loved him because he was her son. But what about the rest of the world?

They would not be so tolerant, so understanding as she was, that she was sure.

Who other than his mother, could ever learn to love a beast?

Beast...

She hated that word more than anything. Is that what he was? Her husband Theo believed it. By appearance, he was, but not by character.

Most of the time, he acted like any other child. If you didn't pay attention to his appearance, he was quite normal. She was sure of it.

But she was aware that other people would not see it that way. Her son was destined to have a very difficult life.

An existence of loneliness and persecution. That reason alone was why she decided to run.

She remembered his reaction when he first saw Léon.

And she didn't want to repeat the experience.

She realised, a while ago that she no longer had a place in the world.

She herself would have to share the same fate as her son, simply because she refused to leave him behind.

While Mary watched Léon sleep she began to thing about her life, about the future that she and her son would have to share together.

He was still a child.

Just an innocent child who had no idea of what was coming.

She wanted to hope for better times but it was hard.

There lives would never be normal. Ever again.


	3. Chapter 3

This chapter is set 20 years after chapter 2.

Sleeping would be difficult if you suffered from nightmares.

Strange dreams haunted him every night. He could see himself turning into an animal, becoming completely wild and feral.

That was his biggest fear and he had to face it every night. he already was an animal, a beast. Of that, he was sure.

He couldn't even stare at his own reflection without flinching, he was a monster.

There was only one person who stayed with him, no matter what. That person was his mother.

Even in his darker times, she never left him. Léon was aware that, if not for her, he never would have been able to achieve that sense of humanity that he so desperately wanted. Thanks to her, he was able to become more of a man and separate himself from the animal within.

That made him a beast, he knew that too well.

Just the fact that he had two separate sides to himself.

The first would be a learned sense of human behaviour, compassion, patience, love...

The other would be pure instinct. The burden of living life and seeing the world trough the eyes of a monster, an animal.

The only problem was that he didn't know what side of him was stronger. He believed it to be the man but he knew to well that he was wrong.

Every day was the same. He would care for his mother, whose bad health prevented her from properly taking care of herself.

He was worried about her but didn't let it show. He would cook for the both of them, but he never ate with her.

He found it difficult to share a civilized meal, when it became hard for him to chew properly because of his under bite and large fangs.

He would actually wait until she was finished and then take the food back to his room. He found it quite embarrassing to eat in front of her.

She would stare at him, and that would really make him feel awkward. He didn't like it when people stared at him.

After a few humiliating incidents, he decided that he would no longer join her for meals.

The rest of his day would be spent in his room, with him resting on his bed. Even the king sized bed was getting small for him.

Léon would have to be curled up on his bed to be somewhat comfortable. When he was younger, he used to sleep in the same room as his mother.

But with all the physical changes that he experienced in those years, he found more and more difficult to have so little privacy.

After his body began to grow larger and heavier, his fur grew longer and became of a darker brown.

His teeth and fangs grew sharper and he eventually developed an under bite.

His fangs would ride up from is bottom lip and be partially exposed. his arms became longer and grew remarkably in size. His paws grew larger but became more human in shape and horns began to grown on the top of his head.

Even his voice changed, it grew deeper and no longer sounded like a man's.

His eyes however, blue as the ocean, remained the same as before. They now reflected his pain and sorrow, and also his depression.

This was his only human feature. He hated them, and loved them at the same time.

He was only 20 years old and yet, he felt like he had lived for a hundred years.

His depression was getting worse. Most of the time, he would refuse to leave his room.

He knew that he would have to leave soon. His mother no longer bothered him, and he preferred to leave and let her live her own life.

He would no longer be a part of it. he felt like the house that he has lived in for his entire life, was no longer his home.

He didn't belong there. infact, he felt like he didn't belong anywhere. Deep down, he didn't want to leave his mother, but it was inevitable.

He knew that he would have to leave soon. he knew that there was an old abandoned cabin in the woods, who was about an hour walk , away from is current home.

He could go live there, this place had been abandoned for years, so he was sure that no one would come and bother him. It was also in good condition and didn't need much improvement when it came to renovations.

He knew that she would be fine without him.

If he left, she could finally go back to her previous life. The life that she had, before he was born.

He began to pack his personal items, the very little that he had, he wanted to keep. His mother didn't speak to him, but she knew what was coming.

Her son would leave her, and would become completely from the outside world. He already was, but at least he had her.

The life that they had shared together was meant to end someday.

***5 weeks later***

Léon had successfully moved out of his previous home without any problems.

Being alone all the time wasn't as bad as he originally thought, but of course, he wished that he could have some company.

After a while, the intense solitude was unbearable. He wanted to talk to someone, to feel a human presence, close to him.

he never realised how much he craved closeness, affection, until now.

That craving sent him further down the road, towards insanity. He never hated himself, but now he felt more ashamed that ever.

He wanted to have someone with him, close to him. But how was that supposed to happen when he looked like a monster?

Those desires, he had them for a very long time.

He always tried to ignore them but now that he was alone, living by himself, they were stronger than ever.

He wanted company.

Léon had no idea that his wish would soon be granted.

A young girl, about 18 years old, was lost in the woods.

Her name was Bella.

She looked terrified, she was being chased by wolves and she couldn't find a way to escape them.

She ran, until she collapsed from exhaustion and pain.

She had no idea how long she had ran. Had she escaped them? Were they coming back? At that time, she was so tired that she didn't notice that someone was watching her.

Right before she lot consciousness, she saw him, but she was to weak to scream. She tried to run but her body refused to move. It was like she was paralyzed. She didn't realise that she was much safer with him, that being out in the woods, with nothing but savage wolves for company. She examined him closely. He was terrifying!

With his long, dangerous claws and his sharp teeth.

The only other thing that she saw was his eyes. They were the most human thing she has ever seen. It was such a shame that they were set on such a hideous face.

He got closer to her and picked her up. Léon knew that she needed help.

He held her in his arms and she leaned her head against his chest.

Bella could feel the soft fur of his chest, slowly rubbing against her cheek.

It was so warm and comforting. At that time, it seemed like a good idea to leave with him. She didn't put up much of a fight when he picked her up and cradled her in his arms.

But suddenly, she had the urge to fight back, to push him away. But before she could do anything, she passed out.

He didn't know why he helped her. He just knew that he had to. Without knowing why, he brought her to his cabin, hidden deep in the woods. He was outside when he heard her cries.

She was crying and screaming, and he soon realised what was wrong. It was the wolves.

They were very dangerous and usually attacked anything, animal or human. He decided to follow the sound of her voice. It was almost like she was calling to him. Like there was a hidden message in her screams, that only he could hear.

He was no longer alone, but his joy would not last. She would be terrified of him. She would scream, she would yell and she would run away. He knew all of those things, but he wanted to keep a glimmer of hope in his heart.

What would happen if he showed her that he wasn't dangerous? Would she still run away? Would she be afraid?

And most importantly, would she stay. Léon wanted answers so badly, but he knew that he had no right to assume that she would stay with him, no matter what the situation was. He wanted these answers, even if the truth could be more painful than anything he ever felt before.

She was so beautiful to him.

Absently, he began to touch her hair, while she was still sleeping on his bed.

It was so soft, of such a beautiful gold. He was enjoying the experience of touch.

Since his mother was the only person who ever willingly let them be touched by him. He didn't have much experience in the matter. He himself had never come in physical contact with anyone else. The fact that he was never touched also damaged him. He understood why even his mother rarely did that. He knew that since he was very young, he was disgusting.

He convinced himself that no one would ever want to be close to him.

Especially not someone as beautiful and as perfect as her.

Who was she? Why was she in the woods? She would probably never get the answers to those questions. He watched her sleep for a while but after the first few minutes he decided to make sure that he as sitting away from the bed, just in case she woke up.

He didn't want to scare her, so he sat in the shadows. So he would be hidden by the darkness in the room.

He observed her for a long time.

He never felt more ashamed of himself than at that moment.

A disgusting creature like himself should never be allowed to look upon such beauty.

He wanted to know more about her.

What she liked. Where she came from, where she was going.

He wanted to know it all.


	4. Chapter 4

Baby or beast ch 4

*Notice*

The introduction of the new character was a challenge in itself. Because of were the story was going, with the Beast alone, i didn't really know how to introduce Bella in the story. I used some beauty and the beast references and i think it turned out well, in spite of all of the difficulties that i experienced while writing the chapter. The reason why it took so long to upload it was because i wrote 2 different versions of this chapter , and i have to admit that i wasn't satisfied with either of them, so i decided to combine the material from both version of chapter 4 and create this one.... Some feedback would be really appreciated!

Now, on with the story...

..................................................................

-A few hours after the rescue, Léon's home-

After a long walk in the woods with Bella safely cradled in his arms, Leon finally arrived at his destination. The journey home had not been difficult by any means, but it has been extremely stressful and frightening. He was worried that the girl he was holding so closely would wake up at the wrong time, while he held her in his arms. He didn't want to think about how terrified she would be when she would see him for the first time.

He was a tortured soul, anyone could see it. One look into his eyes and all the pain and sorrow that he felt everyday would be apparent. He could only hope that he would be brave enough to face what was coming.

With nothing left to do except watch the girl sleep, Leon began to wander off in his mind. He began to recall the things that happened the night before. He saved her, whoever she was from the wolves and he had brought her back to his home to look after her. He could not just leave her there. That would be unacceptable.

Now she was settled in his bed, she still hasn't woken up and he was clueless about what to do with her. He was beyond confused and for the first time since the rescue, he was terrified.

A Beast, that was scared of a girl.

Kind of stupid right?

Its not like he was scared of the girl, it was the situation that stressed him the most. He's never been alone with a girl before and he had no idea what could happen. He wished that his mother was here. She could have told him what to do, how to act and exactly what to say. But she wasn't here and he could already foresee the outcome of this. She would scream, she would run away and even if he tried to explain, she would leave. He didn't want to think about those things. He didn't want to face the reality of the situation he was in. There has to be another way.

A chance to make things right. To make it all better.

Was it too late to make a choice?

Would she believe him, that he saved her life?

He wanted to believe that she would but he knew better than that. He had been deceived so many times that he knew too well that it wouldn't happen.

Things would not work out the way he wanted them to.

Good things never happened to people like him.

Monsters, Freaks, Beasts...

He didn't even know it they were others like himself in the world.

She would never care about him, not in the same way that he seemed to care about her. He didn't know why he saved her; he just knew that he had to.

He kept imagining all sorts of different scenarios in his mind. All the possibilities, all the thing that could happen and all the things that he knew wouldn't. All the things that he had no control over, that was inevitable. Those visions that he had about the future of this situation woke up long forgotten feelings on his part.

He hated solitude.

He's been trying to ignore these feelings ever since he left his mother. He never admitted it, but he hated being alone.

He could never stand it. He needed someone with him, close to him. His clean state of mind depended on it.

He craved human contact like a drug, it was so unfair. She was there, so close to him, and yet so far away.

She was only a few feet away, looking so innocent. But he was so nervous.

What was he scared of?

He was terrified of himself, so much that he couldn't do anything. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't move and the worst part is that he couldn't think clearly. He had no idea what to do with himself. He wanted to touch her, to hold her in his arms, he wanted that so badly. That craving for comfort was overwhelming.

then, he started to feel it again. The numbing pain he's been living with for as far back as he could remember, he had such sadness inside of him. It was too much to bear, as he grew older, he only knew that it would get worse.

Things started badly for him. His existence started badly enough, and it would probably be like that for the rest of his life.

The very idea could keep him up at night.

With nothing better to do, he began to silently walk around the house. Still lost in thoughts, he wanted to make sure that everything was perfect. He started to clean up a few things, just to try and distract himself. Books, Drawings and Sketches were all over the kitchen table. He loved the Arts and he had always loved to read. It was his greatest passion. He had been reading and collecting books ever since he was a child. His mother had taught him how to read, and homeschooled him since he couldn't go to an average school like everyone else. He got his passion for literature from his father, he didn't remember him but his mother used to tell him stories about his old man. How they had met, what he liked to do, but she never spoke about their divorcé. Léon knew that he was the reason why they were no longer together. It was just another thing that he couldn't change. Another situation he was responsible for. And something else to feel guilty about. Sometimes, he felt like such a failure. He had ruined their lives, he was sure of it. His parents would have been better off if he had never been born. His mother would've had a wonderful life, and she would still be happily married to the man she once loved more than anything.

Léon never understood why she chose him over his father. She probably felt sorry for him. That had to be it. He had been born an animal, a monster. She pitied him because she knew that no one would ever give him a chance. No one else would have wanted to take him in, no one else would care for him and he couldn't blame them. Léon knew that if his mother would have made the choice to give him up, his life would have been very different, and much worse. He probably would have ended up in a cage. Locked up, the other vicious animals. Were people would have paid to see him. He would have turned into some kind of sideshow freak.

Thinking about these things would always bring tears to his eyes. He hated himself for being like this.

Weak ,and horribly monstrous.

He turned his attention back to his guest, or whatever she was. She wasn't his prisoner, which was certain.

She looked so peaceful, so calm.

He looked at her with intensity, wondering what would happen and what could never be.

-----

I would like to apologise for the amount of time that it took me to finish this chapter but from now on ill give myself a maximum of 2 weeks to write each new chapter of the story. Thank you for you're patience.

The new chapter will be a dream sequence from Bella's p.o.v

New update soon!


	5. Chapter 5

Bella's dream

"* Even though she felt safe, her mind was still consumed by darkness. She kept seeing flashes of the night before. Images were appearing in her mind. It was like she was reliving it all over again.  
She remembered what happened after the attack. Someone or something had saved her. She couldn't remember the exact details but she knew that he had taken her some place else, were she would be safe.  
Was there such a thing as safe? She wanted to believe so.  
She remembered how scared she was. Her encounter with the wolves had been frightening but what happened after that was more terrifying than anything she had ever experienced.  
She saw his face, of the one who saved her. She couldn't see him well because of the darkness but what she could manage to see was enough for her to be consumed by fear.  
She had been saved by a monster, a beast.  
The only thing that wasn't remotely frightening about him was his eyes. In all her life, she had never seen eyes so beautiful, so human.  
It truly was a shame that they were placed on such a monstrous face. She felt his hands touching her. Stocking her hair with such a gentle movement.  
His strong grip never let go as he picked her up and cradled her in his arms. She wanted to protest, she wanted to say something or just try to escape but she was to tired, to exhausted to do anything.  
She let herself be carried away, not knowing where he would take her or if she would even stay alive*"

*****-----

Bella opened her eyes and viewed her surroundings for the first time. She was in a bed that obviously wasn't her own and she was covered in soft and warm blankets.  
She didn't have a clue were she was, her memories of the previous night were so blurry, but she did remember the dream she just had. Then it all came rushing back to her. She recalled the wolf attack and the rescue. And of course, she remembered "him".Whoever, or whatever he was...

Was the "thing" that saved her the one who brought her here?

She could only hope that she would find some answers. What she saw the night before was unbelievable and also the dark, she didn't really get a chance to get a good look at him. But now in the daytime, she certainly would. Bella hoped that she would be brave enough to face it.

*****-----

He needed to take some fresh air. he needed some time to think, to be away from her. He knew that he shouldn't have been watching her sleep. That was unacceptable in so many ways. He didn't even know her!But deep down,Léon hoped that he would.

He began to worry about her, she should be awake by now. He didn't want things to get worse. What if she needed to go to a hospital? If she needed help, he would provide it. Since he couldn't risk leaving the the forest without being discovered, he would have to take it upon himself to look after her. He already knew how to take care of some injuries, so he wasn't worried about that. and if anything were to happen, he would be prepared. He would have to wait until she awoke to be able to tell if she needed medical attention, or just a reasonable explanation. What would he say to her? He had done nothing wrong, he had saved her after all.  
What if she started to ask questions about him? Ones that even himself, didn't have the answers his appearance, about his life or just why he was the way he was. He could not think of a proper way to respond if she were to ask those questions . He also had some questions to ask her as well.

What was she doing in those woods?

That was the only question that came to his mind. Why was she here?No one ever came into the forest; it was known to be dangerous. the wolves were the main reason why no one ever dared to come. They were vicious and aggressive. They attacked anyone who would wander in the darkness of the was truly was remarkable that she had managed to get as far deep as she did without getting the animals attention.Léon was aware that if he had not been there, she would have been the first time in his life, he was proud of himself. Léon had accomplished something that he never thought he would saved a life, which he knew that was the right thing, and the greatest thing that could be done.

But soon after, his insecurities came rushing back to him after he got a glance of his reflection in the small river close to his home. Léon was getting his hopes up. She would never see it that way. She would never thank him for his actions ,she wouldn't be anything more than a terrified girl, screaming and hysterical.

He hated his reflection, more than he hated his own lonely, pathetic existence.  
He had no right to assume that she would believe his story. Léon was aware of how wrong it was to except all of these things from her.

It appeared that his destiny had already been written. It was not a happy story by any means. It started horribly and it would likely end the same way.  
He would die, he would leave this world without been given a chance at happiness, to feel someones love pointed towards him. To feel an others touch, an intimate exchange that he hoped could be delivered by the girl he rescued.  
After this reflection was over, he decided that it was time to head back to the house. He didn't want to face her but found it in himself to keep walking.  
For his sake and for hers, he hoped that she was not already awake.

*****-----

Bella was getting more scared and confused as the minutes passed. She realised that she couldn't walk. Her left leg was injured and it was quite painful. She tried to get up but putting her weight on that leg was impossible without feeling made her nervous more than anything was the fact that she had no idea where she was. She didn't like to admit this,but she was trapped here. With her leg injury,she would not be able to leave .... Running away seemed like a better way to put it.  
She knew that she would have to face him but Bella wasn't sure if she had enough courage to do that. She had never been a brave person, she had doubted her abilities before today. She was outspoken, opinionated and smart but when it came to challenges, she was always hesitant. But this time, things were different. She didn't have the slightest idea on what to do. Most of the time, she could foresee the outcome in some situations but now,nothing came to mind. Nothing made any sense.

She had been saved by a creature, that she would have never suspected even existed. with his appearance, Bella was sure that he could have had a place in the fairy tales that her mother used to read to her when she was a he could be a monster,just like the ones that you would see in your worst nightmares.

Right now, there was no way to be sure. The more she thought about it, the more curious she wanted to understand. She wanted to know how he came to be. She had so many questions, which needed to be answered.

In all her excitement, she didn't hear the noise that was coming from outside of the sound of the front door opening was what startled her, she decided to lay down on the bed again, pretending she was still asleep,with her eyes only half closed. Before anything else happened she at least wanted to get a good look at him.  
He entered the house quietly,she assumed that he thought that she was till asleep and didn't want to wake her. As far as she could tell, he was wearing a white shirt with long sleeves,black pants and a long gray coat that only covered a fraction of his massive still had his back turned to her so she couldn't see his face at all. She closed her eyes again completely; just to make her stunt more opened them again,she realised that he was now sitting next to her bed. The beast was so quiet that she didn't hear his footsteps,slowly approaching towards her.  
After the beast sat down, she realised that hes probably never left her side during all all this time that shes been she could see was the back of his head and the ears, that were not human in shape. the other thing that Bella could see was the tip of his horns ,that were placed on his head. he was very large and probably just as tall.

what on earth was she dealing with? was this the creature she was at the mercy of?


	6. Chapter 6

B

Baby or Beast ch 6

The first exchange

Bella felt like she was suffocating. She tried not to let it show because she had no idea how the beast would react if he discovered she was awake. She could feel her heartbeat accelerating and her insecurities rushing back to her.

As curious as she was, she couldn't help but feel nervous. He was still there, still close, sitting on the floor, with his back against the bedside. Thankfully, he was facing the other way, which reassured her. He was so close to her that Bella could have reached out her hand and touched him. She wondered what it would be like to touch his fur, feeling it underneath her hands.

It looked so soft, so smooth. It took all of her self control not to reach out to him.

Bella would have to let him know that she was awake. Sooner or later, he would find out.

She couldn't hide nor could she pretend forever. Bella wondered if he would be angry after what she did. She had been awake for quite some time and was watching his every move. She would understand if he were to get upset, but she feared for much worse. She had no idea what he was capable of. She didn't know what his intentions were. Either good or bad.

If he had wanted to hurt her, he would have done that a while ago. He wouldn't have rescued her from the wolves and would have left her to die. But why did he saved her? Was there some kind of hidden intention behind all of this?

She wondered about what would happen after this. Will she ever be able to go back home? Not that it really mattered Bella didn't want to go back to that place. Her father was a very abusive man, that's why she ran away. Anything was better than going back to that life. If she needed to stay with the beast for a while longer, she would. She didn't trust him yet but he seemed nicer and much more civilized than her own father. During the entire time that she's been awake, she noticed a few things about his saviour. Even if she could only see half of his face, she could read the emotions written on his features.

He looked sad, and so lonely.

Bella felt sympathy for him, but didn't know why. She didn't even know him and yet she had these feelings for this sad creature. Maybe he wasn't defined by his appearance. Perhaps, it was his actions that truly reflected what was in his heart.

She had seen good in him, but now she wanted to hear his side of the story. If he could explain himself.

She didn't even know if he could speak! She would have to wait and see for herself.

With Bella, still pretending to sleep, the beast remained seated on the floor, listening and waiting for something to happen. He wasn't sure if he should wait of wake her up himself. Would this be appropriate? If he did, how would she react?

He was sure that she didn't get a good look at him yet, for what he truly was. Or has she? He would have to face it anyway, either now or later. It was coming and it was inevitable. He stood up and turned around to face her. She looked peaceful but something was wrong.... She looked like she was in a force slumber, almost purposely pretending to sleep, only to have her eyes closed.

He placed his hand on her face and waited for a reaction of some sort. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked at him for what he believed to be the first time. Léon was suddenly feeling faint. What was he going to do? He quickly pulled his hand away and stared at her in wonder. She wasn't screaming, she wasn't fainting and she did not try to run away. Why wasn't she scared?

That answer escaped him in every way.

She wasn't like everyone else. How else could he explain it? She didn't seem afraid, only curious.

What the hell was wrong with him? Was he really so unapproachable that he couldn't handle being in the same space as someone who wasn't scared at the sight of him?

She wasn't like everyone else, she was different. How else could he explain it? She didn't seem afraid, only curious.

He had never thought that he would one day have to handle a situation like the one he was in. I guess he always figured he would be alone. Léon has never been prepared for something like this, nor been willing to do so in the past.

What was the point? He was a monster, and creatures like him didn't deserve to be happy. They didn't need to know how to act around woman. How to talk to them and how to treat them. They would never find love, friendship or companionship from the opposite gender, so there was no point in learning any of these things. His mother always tried to make him understand that even if he believed it to be useless to him, he was better off knowing about these things than being in ignorance. How he wished that he listened to her more thoughtfully. He knew a few things, but the worst was his table manners. Léon gave up a long time ago to try and use silverware and such. With his huge paws, human in shape but so clumsy and strong, just holding a fork was a challenge. These table accessories were too fragile for him. If he held them to tightly, they would break. Just thinking about displaying his lack of table manners in front of the girl made him want to crawl under a table and hide forever.

His mind was racing, his thoughts were incoherent. All sorts of ideas were spinning in his head as pictures and visions were appearing in front of his eyes. Léon was loosing his mind, or so he thought. He never felt anything like it. Terror, shame and embarrassment mixed together, accompanied with a numbing pain in his chest, were his heart was. Was this heartbreak? Or was it his mind playing tricks on him? Maybe his crippling sanity was the cause of all of this. Either way he found it extremely hard to deal with these new feelings and to keep a minimum of control over himself.

Before he even realised what he was doing, he was already outside. Running as far as possible from the cabin, and from who was inside.

------------------

She couldn't believe what was happening. Did he just run away from her? She remembered the look of fear and disbelief in his eyes, almost as he was expecting her to be terrified of him. Bella couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He must be so lonely, so sad. How long has it been since he had any company? Or has he always been alone? She was probably the first person that he's seen in a long time. She couldn't begin to imagine just how miserable he really was.

When he held her in his arms for the first time, after he rescued her from the wolves, she could feel his uneasiness. At that moment, anyone would've been able to see it. It was clear in her mind that he was ashamed of himself...

When she rested her head on his chest, she could hear his heart beating franticly. At that time Belle knew that he was as unsure about this as she was. She could almost feel his emotions, they were overwhelming. It was almost like she could feel all the pain he was feeling.

She had to find him.

She was still in pain but that wasn't important at the time. Bella knew that he was outside, hiding from her or perhaps even watching her. Her kind heart told her that she couldn't just let it be. She would put her fears aside and go to him, just to see if he was alright.

She gathered all her strength and got up from the bed she was sitting on. It was hard but she knew it had to be done. Bella began to look around, trying to find something that might help her walk. She found a short cane like branch close to the door. She began to walk towards her goal, and almost forgot about the pain she was feeling. It was almost like the well being of another was more important than her own. And in a way, it was. Her determination was unshakable and proven so by reaching the door was quickly as she would have if she didn't suffered from a leg injury. She grabbed the cane and walked out of the cabin. It was almost dark outside and still, she could see everything rather clearly. She began to look around, trying to find any signs of the beast's whereabouts. After walking outside, around the house, she still didn't find anything that could point towards his location.

As she turned around and headed back to the house, she heard a loud roar piercing through the silence of the forest. Surprisingly, it didn't sound raging or angry, it was filled with despair and sadness. He was close; she could hear his sad howling from a distance. With nothing left to do, Bella followed the sounds. The closer she got, the more she realised what was happening. These howls were also accompanied by sobs and cries. She felt her heart tighten .It almost made her shed tears as well.

Bella knew that she was the reason for his pain.

As she got closer, she could see his large frame, resting on the ground. He looked so sad, so miserable. She could hear his loud breathing and his cries, so filled with despair. Bella knew that he was too lost in his own emotions to even realise that she was here. She wanted to reach out and touch his shoulder, just to reassure him, to let him know that she was here, but she didn't. Instead, she sat down on the ground next to him and waited for him to acknowledge her presence. He still had his back turned from her, so she couldn't see his face. She remembered his eyes, blue just like the sky. They were beautiful. Those were the eyes of an angel, which was an ironic contradiction to what she was seeing.

---------------

She was close, he could almost feel her. Why did she come here, to him? Did she genuinely cared, or did she want to get a better look at the freak show before she ran away? He never wished to be invisible, more than at that moment. How could she stand to be this close to a monster? He couldn't even handle what he was, so how could she? She was a mystery to him. It's been months since he's seen another person, and now it was almost overwhelming.

He could barely hold his emotions in check. As much as he tried, he couldn't hold back his tears. The pain was so unbearable. It almost felt like his soul was being ripped out from his body. It was unlike anything he ever felt. At that moment, he didn't care about anything, he just wanted his suffering to stop. He wished he could be numb, to pain but mostly to her.

She was causing so much turmoil inside of him. But he couldn't be angry about that. She didn't ask to be in this situation.

And neither did he.

They were two strangers, who would have no choice but to get to know each other. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing, if only he knew what to expect.

He never had a friend before, and for a long time he didn't believe that he would have one someday.

How he hated to be alone. And now she was here.

She could provide so much, but the only thing he wanted was a friend. For now that would be enough.

--------------

She was so close to him, she could almost hear him breathe.

At that moment, he looked like a lost little boy. Alone, frightened .But mostly sad.

Bella had no greater wish than to take his pain away. She placed her hand on his shoulder, just to see his reaction. It was almost like a dream, as if she still didn't believe what was happening. First being chased by wolves and then rescued. And now she was here, in the woods, trying to comfort her saviour. She was alone with a beast, that made her somewhat uneasy but she pushed those thoughts aside.

When he finally decided to acknowledge her presence, it was nightfall. He turned to look at her, their eyes met. He couldn't help but be grateful for her presence. She was like an angel, the greatest gift he could've asked for. To him, she was beyond perfect. She was so beautiful. She was the image of everything good.

She smiled at him, but only for a moment. Léon wanted to do the same but he knew that a mouthful of sharp teeth would surely ruin the moment. He closed his eyes, almost believing that this was a dream, but it wasn't. She was still here, still looking at him with kind eyes. It was killing him, how much he wanted to hold her tightly in his arms and breathe in her scent. To touch her hair with his paw .And hopefully be touched in return. He couldn't help but shiver at the thought. He couldn't even begin to describe how much he wanted her. To feel her body pressed against his, cuddled together on his bed....

He never had such thoughts, he never wanted anyone before.

Maybe it was because he knew that he wouldn't experience anything like this. When your convinced that your not going to get something, you try to avoid it all together. But now she was so close, he couldn't help but wonder about it. What would it be like if he were to be with her? He could be kind. He could be gentle with her. He could be all of those things. Léon was ready to be everything she needed.

He still had his eyes closed, he was relaxed and his breathing had slowed down a big deal. He could feel her warmth. He couldn't help but enjoy the experience. It was so unreal, she was here with him, she seemed unafraid .Almost calm. She was touching him, stocking the fur on his neck, this couldn't get any more surreal for him. For the first time in his life, he was having some kind of intimate exchange. A beautiful girl was willingly touching him! The feeling was unbelievable. It had never been like this when his mother would comfort him. The girl was much more delicate, her touch was softer and much more gentle.

He didn't want her to stop. He wanted the two of them to stay like this forever, but it wouldn't be that way. This moment would have to end.

He just wanted to enjoy this moment with her for a long as he could. Because he didn't know what would happen next.

No words were spoken, they both knew that they would have to get back to the house. He got up to his feet first and offered his help to the girl, so she could stand. She took his paw and gladly accepted his offer, giving him a reassuring smile.

They walked back to the cabin silently, not even realising that they were still holding hands until they were inside.


	7. Chapter 7

Baby or beast ch. 7

They were both quiet, not knowing what to say to eachother. And with fear that this moment would be ruined with the presence of spoken words. Nothing was said during their walk back to the cabin. Her hand, so small compared to his was still holding his larger paw. Her hands were so small and delicate; wich has the exact opposite of his own. They were large and powerful, with small black claws emerging from his fingertips. They were hideous and terrifying compared to her lovely, tiny ones. But of course, any hand would be considered small compared to his.

He never knew that this could bring him so much joy. He fought back the urge to smile. With her hand still holding his, no other experience could be compared to this.

As they entered the cabin, they both realized that it was well past midnight. They were both exhausted, not from the walking but from the intense emotions that the two of them had felt on this very night. It had been a long night from the both of them and they needed rest. But there was one obvious problem, there was only one bed. Leon realized that he should let her have it. She was the injured one after all. She needed a more comfortable place to sleep, and he had no problem with sleeping on the floor, with a few blankets and pillows, he should be comfortable for the night. After all, he's known much worse.

Bella was sitting in the bed, ``his`` bed she thought .his scent was all over the sheets, the blankets and the pillows. His scent was so strange, so unlike anything she had known. it was strong but pleasant . Masculine, but very animal like. She couldn't help but inhale his deeply, enjoying his smell, that was discreet but everywhere at once. She could hear his footsteps from here. He was in the other room looking for something. Food, blankets? She knew that he was tired as well, so Bella assumed he latter. Staying awake was getting difficult, her eyes were getting heavy. The only thing she had on her mind was sleeping. But she wondered what it would be like to sleep so close to a beast. She had already done that but now things were different. She was now aware of her surroundings and unlike before, she knew that he was here. Bella knew that she should be scared of him. With his monstrous looks and his imposing stature, he could easily terrorize anyone.

She wondered if deep down, she was the strange one. She should feel something, anything at all but didn't. No fear, no pain and no hatred. She just felt numb as if she was voluntarily blocking the emotions out. Bella knew that her troubles would begin as soon as these suppressed feelings would manifest themselves. She was blocking them out for her own sake. She knew that she wouldn't be able to handle them. Trying to keep a lid on her emotions was the only thing she cared about at that time. She turned her attention back to her companion. His attention was clearly elsewhere as he was still looking for something. He was in the other room, talking to himself. It was the first time that she had heard his voice. It was deep, and somehow so smooth. It didn't sound like anything that she's ever heard. His voice really matched his exterior; it was rough and undeniably inhuman.

She wondered about how he was like and how h came to be. She couldn't help but wonder about certain things. Has he always been alone? Did he have a family? Was he the only one of his kind? She wondered how he would react if she started to ask him questions. The last thing she wanted was to upset him, or worse, anger him. With those claws, he could easily hurt her.

Maybe it would be easier if she tried to ignore these things. The claws, the sharp teeth, the fur…. Then it would make the situation a lot less frightening. Bella believed that if his intentions had been bad from the beginning, then she would've gotten hurt a while ago. And he would be capable of it. She was more vulnerable now that she was injured. It would be so easy for him to get rid of her. With his strength, he could easily take her life without difficulty.

She could wait for him to give her those answers. She was, understandably and undeniably, growing impatient.

He could feel her watching him. Burning holes into his back with those eyes of hers. He was all too aware that she was watching his every move. Examining his behavior, searching for a flaw. He felt overwhelmed and nervous. He already knew why she was watching him. She was curious; she wanted to ask him questions and was too scared to ask. Or she didn't know how to bring it up. So many things to fear and so many things to understand. His mind was elsewhere, he just didn't care anymore. He wanted to tell her the truth, but what was the truth? He didn't even have the answers for himself which made it all so much more confusing. How could he possibly tell her anything if he didn't have the answers to the simplest of questions?

He wanted answers as well but there was no one left who could tell him anything about the secrets of his existence. His father was long gone and he didn't have the slightest idea about his mother's whereabouts .maybe after all this time, he would find the courage to go and see her again. He wondered if things would still be the same. Would she still be the same? Would she still be sick or cured? There was no way of knowing these things unless he went to see her. Leon was worried. How could he possibly explain this situation to her? That a girl had appeared out of nowhere, he had saved her life and brought back to his cabin to look after. He was afraid of how his mother would react; he had so many things on his mind, so many questions that needed to be answered, that he wanted to ask her.

But Leon had no idea where to begin.


	8. Chapter 8

Baby or Beast ch. 8

After the evens of the day, Leon was eager to sleep. He welcomed the warm, relaxing feeling and let the darkness overtake his mind, relaxing his body allowing him to rest for the first time in what it seemed to be the first time since he had left home, his dreams werent they were peaceful and so soothing.

In this state, he had no idea that the girl was watching him.

Bella was almost amazed at the sight before her. The beast looked so peaceful; which was the exact opposite of how he was, only a few hours ago. His even breathing, the relaxed look on his face, he was sleeping comfortably underneath his thick red blanket.

For the first time, he seemed perfectly peaceful to her. It was almost like all of the pain and anxiety that he had experienced earlier had been drained out of him. Now, he almost looked happy. She was fascinated by what she was seeing. He almost looked like a child, all curled up on the sleeping spot that he had made for himself.

Watching this made her all more determined to get some answers, to ask those innocent questions that needed to be answered .She wasn't afraid of the outcome anymore, and until her injuries were healed, she would have no choice but to talk to him, ask him the questions that she wanted answers for and perhaps, she could get to know him. Surprisingly, the idea of her being friends with a beast didn't scare her, at least not anymore.

She had been an outcast, ¨like him¨ she thought.

She didn't see things the same way everyone else did. That made her stand out and people found it hard to associate with her. In fact, it seemed that no one understood her at all.

Not even her own father. He was the reason why she ran away. At 18 years old, she had grown tired of him and his negative influence. It was because of him that she had lost the few friends that she's made. The lies, the abuse, and everything else were too much for them to handle. They left her alone, with the man she hated most.

She never forgave him for these incidents.

Her father was a bad man and she was glad to be free from his grasp.

She would much rather be stuck with a beast than with her own father.

She began to feel tired herself. It was very early in the morning, around 2AM when she decided to get some sleep. She tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position, but sleep never came. After a while, she finally gave up, frustrated and angry with herself.

"DAMNIT!" She said out loud

This woke him up.

Leon opened his eyes to see what the problem was. He looked at the small clock, placed on the bedside table; he could read 2:37AM. He turned and looked at the girl, lying in his bed. She was obviously awake, mumbling incomprehensively to herself. With this realisation, he sat up on his improvised bed .He was still mostly covered by his red blanket but then realised that it was suddenly cold in the cabin. He was always cold at night so he didn't think much of it.

Still, he pulled up the blanket and snuggled in it, rubbing his cheek against the soft fabric. It was something he always did. He always enjoyed feeling warm, ever since he was a child. When he was younger, his mother would often wrap him up in soft, warm blankets before he went to bed. He missed those times; he missed his mother and the comfort that she would bring. He also missed being young, during the time that he was unembarrassed about his "condition". Things had changed so much since then. He was now aware that he was different, abnormal. Being all alone for almost a year didn't help him either. He never thought that he could miss someone else's company so much. Being away from his mother was hard on him, now more than ever. It was so, even if he had made the decision to leave for her well being. He began to wonder it he had made a mistake.

Maybe, the only thing that kept him sane was her.

Could it be possible? That the reason why he had almost lost his mind was because she was so far away from him? She had always been the one to reassure him, to tell him that he wasn't a monster, a beast.

With her soothing voice, not gone but far away, he could almost feel himself slip back into his old, scared, insecure and miserable self.

If only she were here. If only he had someone to look after him.

But he wasn't alone, physically at least. She was here, only a few feet away. Just the thought of having someone close reassured him, if only for a moment.

The girl was awake and so was he.

Now what?

He wanted to talk to her, and for her to talk to him as well. He wanted to hear her voice.

He was watching her and he was aware that she knew it. After a moment, she sat up on the bed and looked straight at him. She was obviously irritated.

"Are you going to tell me why you're staring?"

The question took Leon off guard. He found it hard to find the words to answer such a simple question.

"I…I'm sorry" he whispered

His heart was racing; it almost felt like it was going to jump out of his chest. He looked down and noticed that his paws were shaking. For the first time, they were talking. Leon was nervous beyond possible. He wanted to answer her questions but didn't want to look like a fool either.

"So you can talk. I was staring to think that you couldn't. Are you going to tell me why you saved me?"

After a few seconds, he found the courage to answer.

"The wolves usually attack anything or anyone that enters this part of the wolves. I was outside when I heard you screaming"

He couldn't read her expression because of the darkness surrounding them. He hoped that she couldn't see him either. With his eyes wide and shaking hands, he didn't want her to see his uneasiness. He never knew that talking to someone could be so strange .The words came to him so easily, almost as if his nervousness had disappeared for the few seconds it took for his to answer. It wasn't as hard as he would have thought. But he couldn't help feeling nervous.

She almost appeared intimidating to him.

What the hell was wrong with him?

He was a beast after all.

His animal side told him that these feeling he was experiencing were beyond ridiculous. He shouldn't let this girl, this human get to him.

Shame, embarrassment, intimidation, and fear were beneath him!

But he rarely listened to that voice inside of him. He made his own rules, felt those emotions without restrain and told himself that he was more that a beast, a monster.

But if he wasn't a beast or a monster, than what was he?

He always asked himself this question but never found an answer.

Why was he like this? Why did he always feel alone? Why was he always sad?

Why couldn't he look in a mirror without cringing?

He had so many questions for himself, and he was desperate for answers. Soon, he would go back home to see his mother. And with the girl's consent, he would bring her with him. He was still worried about how his mother would react. Leon hoped that he wasn't too late, that his mother would still be alive and well.

He came back to his senses when he heard her speak, interrogating him once more.

"So, what is this place? Did you always live here?"

The cabin wasn't owned by anyone, as far as he knew. And without going into details, it would be nearly impossible to answer her second question. He wasn't sure if he should tell the truth or lie about his past, or where he came from.

He would tell her a half truth for now. He wasn't ready to dig into his past, in order to give her some more concrete answers.

"This is my home. I've lived here for some time now" he simply said.

He was sure; answering her questions without giving too much away was undeniably the easiest way to go. He didn't want to say too much, not until he was sure that he could trust her. He wanted to believe that was a good person, but he wasn't that naïve .He didn't want to jump to any conclusions. He was still unsure about her intentions. He always found it hard to trust people. Not only women, but people in general.

He was 20 years old and in all of his life, the only person he ever trusted was his mother. His trust for her was undeniable, strong enough to blind him from everything else. He never felt at ease with anyone else.

She was the only person who ever took care of him, got to know him, got close to him.

He wanted things to change. He wanted to open up to someone. To let the wall that he had build up around himself, crumble and fall.

Maybe this girl would be his breaking point. Perhaps, she was going to help him change.

He suddenly realised that he didn't know her name. And she didn't know his either.

"Pardon me. May I ask you your name?"

"My name is Bella. What's yours? "

Was she seriously asking him this? What was so hard in telling someone your name?

He pulled himself together and answered.

"Leon…. My name is Leon"


	9. Chapter 9

Baby or beast ch. 9

Bella ….

Her name was Bella. It was a perfect name for a beautiful girl like herself.

She was surely going to ask him about his own name, about his family, his age, his past.

Leon knew that at some point, she was going to ask questions about his appearance, why was he a monster? He knew that's this one was coming. He didn't want to hear those words come out of her mouth. No one ever asked him that question. They would just call him a monster, but never had they asked; why was he like this? Why did he always worry about these things, of such that couldn't be changed?

He had no control over what she would think.

He didn't want her to get the wrong idea, for her to jump to conclusions. Above all, he didn't want her to think the wrong things about him; how did a creature like himself end up with a human name?

He didn't even know that for himself. In a way, he was glad that his mother thought enough of him to give him a proper name.

At times, he didn't feel like he deserved it.

If his mother was here and if it were possible for her to read his mind, she would be outraged. He had opened up to her in the past about his thoughts on the subject. He remembered how she would get upset when he told her that he didn't feel worthy of having a human name when he wasn't human himself.

She would cry, she would try to convince him otherwise. She would even tell him that there was nothing wrong with him.

He couldn't help but smile at the memory, but he couldn't hold back his sadness, his tears.

He would always get emotional when he thought about these things.

He realised just how much he wanted comfort, to feel someone's hand on his shoulder, gently stroking the fur with their fingers. Just like Bella did not so long ago. He wanted to feel it again. He longed for human contact; it was like a drug to him. That made his so vulnerable, so easy to manipulate. He hated feeling so weak, but he couldn't help himself. He's always craved affection, ever since he was a child. He always wanted to be held, to be touched. Over the years, that craving didn't go away. It was still present in his day to day life.

And now that Bella was here, he was constantly reminded of his need.

He tried to cuddle with pillow or his stuffed animal, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't the same at all. They weren't warm and inviting the way people were.

The way she was.

She had been so kind to him. Leon could still remember the way she approached him, sat close to him. Her hands were so soft; her movements so gentle and soothing. He felt himself relax underneath her touch. The way she traced her hand down his arm brought shivers down his spine.

What he had liked the most was the way she had stroked his fur, massaging his skin with her fingers. He remembered the way she had whispered to him, those soft, soothing words in his ears. He couldn't recall her exact words, but it was enough to calm him down at that time. He didn't know why, but he felt so peaceful afterwards.

She even held his hand, such an insignificant gesture but for him, it was overwhelming. He remembered how his heart began to race when she took his hand for the first time. He never would have expected this. He could hardly believe that this was happening.

It almost felt like a dream, it would be so disappointing to discover that it hasn't been real. Because even he, wouldn't have been able to imagine this.

In fact, even a great fiction writer wouldn't have been able to recreate or put his intense and unexpected feelings in the form of written words.

It was somehow confusing; he never thought that he could be at such a loss of words. It was odd, even for him. He felt numb.

He almost felt cold, when he was alone. Now, she was here, and a small feeling of warmth was slowly invading him. He felt better when someone was near.

He's been alone for a while, having her here was a pleasant change in his reality.

He was perfectly fine, thinking about these things. Being lost in his own thoughts, he didn't have to worry about the real things. He didn't want to think about what was happening and what was coming. But sooner or later, he would have to take his head out of the clouds and acknowledge the real facts.

Sooner rather than later.

Why was he so apprehensive? Why did he find it so hard to face reality?

It always revolved around the same thing; he didn't want to be alone. Not now or ever.

But he wasn't alone, she was here.

Maybe he escaped from reality because he was too afraid to face it. Nothing was keeping her here. Other than her leg injury, but that seemed almost completely healed. As much as he wanted her to stay, he couldn't force her. He had no right to keep her here against her will, nor did he have any intention to do so.

Forcing Bella to stay here would only push her away.

Everything was going well, all things considered. He didn't want to ruin that with his unrealistic expectations.

She was still awake, lost in her own thoughts, just like he was .She was probably wondering the same things that he'd thought about earlier. How did a creature like himself end up with such a common name?

It was an understandable reflection.

He never felt more hideous than at that moment. If he didn't look so frightening, so monstrous, then maybe she would want to stay. Or maybe she wouldn't be so hesitant with her; he wouldn't be so scared to get close, if there was such a possibility.

He didn't want to demolish himself for thinking such things.

It was nearly morning; the sunlight was slowly peeking trough the windows; allowing both of them to see clearly in their first moments of the new day.

Other than the occasional question, asked by Bella, and sometimes by Leon; the previous night was relatively calm.

Even if he didn't get much sleep, he felt rested.

He didn't think about anything in particular; now or during the previous night.

There was one thing he couldn't ignore.

He had to go see his mother, or at least try to inform himself of her whereabouts.

After all this time, she never left his thoughts.

He was glad to have found some form of independence, but still regretted leaving her without notice. In spite of that fact, Leon was sure that she understood the reason that drove him to leave. He had to find a way to get home, to see her again.

The only issue was Bella.

He wasn't sure if he should leave her here at the cabin, of take her along.

To find out; Leon realised that he would have to ask her.

The girl was awake, so he knew that she would hear his voice. He was nervous, but it wouldn't be enough to stop him from asking her. Leon tried to control his breathing, relaxing himself. Convincing himself that he had to do this. After a few seconds, he asked her the obvious question.

"I need to go see my mother today. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me… You can stay here if you feel too tired; you don't have to join me if you don't want to."

The girl turned to look at him, with a look of confusion in her eyes. She obviously didn't know what to say. It took her a few seconds to answer.

"I think I would like to go with you" she said.

Her response surprised him. He never would've expected that's she would agree so easily.

"Yeah, I need to take some fresh air anyways. I'm tired of staying indoors."

She gave him a faint smile, as if to confirm her answer. He seemed uneasy, and looked away. She saw a glimpse of, what she thought was sadness in his eyes. It was clear to her that Leon wasn't used to acts of kindness, or any form of friendly gestures. She felt sympathetic towards him because of that.

When was the last time someone's been nice to him?

Sadly, she guessed that it might have never happened to him before. She wasn't surprised, considering his appearance. It was much more intimidating than lovable.

She knew that it was wrong. That you shouldn't judge others by their appearances, but she couldn't help but question certain things.

He seemed kind, she couldn't deny that. There was something about him that she couldn't indentify. There was something in his eyes, which was undeniably human.

She also wondered what his mother would be like. Was she just like him? She didn't know if she should be expecting anything different. It didn't really matter to her, as long as she would be getting some answers.

And hopefully she would, very soon.

If he wasn't going to tell her anything, she would have to ask someone else. She would ask Leon's mother, surely she knew and understood what was going on.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when Leon offered her his paw, inviting her to get up on her feet.

They were ready to go.

She hoped that the both of them would find what they were looking for……


	10. Chapter 10

Baby or beast ch. 10 version 2

_She woke up from her vision infested dream, soaked in sweat. It was the fourth time this week. She kept having the same dream, over and over again. _

_It was always the same thing. She kept having flashes, visions of her son. She always saw his face, and he seemed happy. She also realised that he wasn't alone, a girl was with him. She couldn't help but wonder how this came to be. _

_How did they meet? What were the circumstances that brought these two together? _

_She thought it was strange, seeing her son with a girl. _

_Who was she? Why did she k__ept dreaming about these two?_

_Maybe it meant something, perhaps it was a sign. _

_Maybe after all this time, he would come back._

_It's been almost a year since she saw him and she missed him greatly. She didn't know what had happened to him during his period of isolation. She wondered if he had changed, if her son would be the same. Change was almost inevitable._

_With her last strain of thought, she decided to get out of bed, all too aware that she wouldn't be able to get some sleep. Trying would be a waste of time._

_She got up and began to walk towards the kitchen, still lost in thought. _

_She couldn't help but wonder about what it all mean._

_She hadn't had news of him for months. She was worried about him; in fact, she had been concerned for quite some time. She couldn't help but wonder about certain things. _

_Who was this girl, who shared his company? Why was she with him? What were the circumstances that brought these two together? And most importantly, what did she want?_

_The last thing she wanted was for her son to get hurt. He was always so sensitive. From her perspective, this girl was not only unwelcomed; she was a threat to her son's already fragile heart. He deserved to be happy, she knew that much._

_She always found it hard to trust someone from the outside. And by outside, she meant someone that wasn't part of her family, or her semblance of it. _

_She always hated the way her son was treated._

_Sure, he was different, a monster by society's standards, in spite of that, she knew it wasn't really true. He had a good heart, a gentle soul._

_But she kept him hidden from the rest of the world, because she knew that everyone else wouldn't understand._

_On a few occasions, Leon had come in contact with hunters. One time, he was walking in the woods, close to his home; they saw him and began to shoot at him from a distance. Leon wasn't severely injured, but he was left with an overwhelming fear of people. This happened a few years ago during bear hunting season. Ever since that day, he became extremely careful to not be seen of heard by another person; especially if they were carrying a weapon._

_She cleaned up the flesh wounds that he had acquired from the encounter. She even had to take out two bullets that were lodged in his arm. She placed a bandage and gave him pain medication, or what little she had of it. He fell asleep shortly afterwards; obviously exhausted from the ordeal._

_She remembered how scared, traumatized he was after the experience. His fear was understandable, and not exaggerated by any means. She cried with him that night; she held him close and comforted him. He couldn't be left alone, not when he needed her so much._

_It took him days to speak of it again. Even with her support, he still felt like he was being denied something...But what?_

_She had given him everything that she had. She had dedicated the past 20 years of her life to him. Somehow, it wasn't enough. Mary knew that he needed more than that. Her son had a need for socializing, to be in contact with people who accepted him for what he was, who weren't afraid of him._

_It was frustrating for the both of them. He wanted something he couldn't have, and she couldn't give it to him. _

_In a way, Mary hoped that his new friend could be the one to offer him what he wanted, needed. _

_She hoped that a new, unexpected friendship would bloom into something beautiful..._

The journey though the woods had been longer than what she would've expected. Even if her leg was healed, it became difficult for her to walk after a certain time.

Leon noticing this, offered to carry her for the rest of the expedition.

"It's not too much? I wouldn't want to burden you." She said. Obviously feeling bad about it.

"Not at all. I don't mind carrying you." He said with a smirk.

She nodded and stepped closer to him, allowing the creature before her to lift her up and cradle her in his arms, holding her close to his body.

She rested her head on his chest, listening to the rhythmic beatings of his heart.

She couldn't help but smile. She had been so wrong as to worry about him, about his motives or intentions.

Leon was one of the most considerate, kind and selfless people that she's ever met.

For the first time in her life, she actually felt safe with someone.

She wasn't afraid of him, surprisingly enough. Of course, his appearance was undeniably frightening. But when she looked at him more closely, he didn't seem so dangerous, so monstrous.

There was a certain softness in his eyes that captivated her.

Such kindness, so much tenderness, it seemed almost too good to be true.

It was a direct contrast to his exterior.

Ugly but kind.

Unattractive and beautiful, all at the same time.

It was an extraordinary thing in itself. How could he have such an effect on her? They had just met, only a few days ago. And yet they were getting along so well already.

Even so, she felt like she had known him forever. Like they shared something special, that connected them on an unconscious level.

She still had many questions to ask.

Why did he want to leave?

He said that he needed to go see his mother, but she couldn't help but feel like it was only half a truth. She knew that Leon had other reasons to go back, of which, he never mentioned.

The weather was getting colder, the sun was setting. Bella was still in his arms, being comfortably carried by her new friend. She was getting cold, but his warmth helped her from being too affected by the cold wind outside.

It felt so right, to be in his arms.

This was new feelings for Bella, who wasn't used to having to depend on anyone else.

She had spent her entire life, unable to depend on anyone else. She couldn't expect anything from her father. His abusive nature always made her shy away from him, afraid of his outbursts and his aggressiveness.

She had no memory of her mother; she had been told that she left her father, shortly after she was born. She had allegedly moved to a different state and remarried.

It was unknown if she had any other children with her most recent husband.

Most believed that she was dead.

She didn't know what to believe. She always wanted to meet her, but didn't know where to look, or what to expect. She never told anyone about her desire to meet her biological mother, not to her father or even to her closest friends. She didn't think that they would have understood.

She didn't even know why she wanted to meet her, to come face to face with the woman who had abandoned her so long ago.

She was pulled out of her strain of thought by a familiar voice.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked, seemingly concerned.

She looked up, and stared into this sky blue, emotion filled eyes.

"I'm fine, I was just thinking about something…."

He tilted his head to the side; looking at her with a confused expression.

"I was thinking about my parents, about my mother. I never met her, and I never knew why. " she said saddened.

He looked at her with sad eyes. He knew all too well what it was like to be missing a parent. He never met his father, and with the way things were going, he probably never will. He understood what she was going through.

His father had left him by choice soon after he was born. He had been repulsed by him; he didn't want to have a freak, a monster for a son.

Leon couldn't blame him for leaving. Anyone would have done the same thing.

Bella's mother had surely left her for other reasons, obviously with a different motivation than his father.

He had heard Bella talk about her father on a few occasions; she had told him the reason why she ran away. She had grown tired of her father's abusive behaviour. He had hit her on numerous occasions, and he was slowly getting worse. She had made the decision to leave before thing got truly out of hand.

If she hadn't left that life behind, they never would have met.

He never would have had a friend, a real one, if she hadn't landed on his doorstep. She was his first and only friend, he never thought that he would be lucky enough to find one someday, someone who accepted him and would let themselves get close to him; emotionally and physically.

There was nothing sexual about his relationship with Bella. He longed for companionship, that was true, but what he really wanted was affection. To be touched, hugged and cuddled; that's what he really wanted out of a relationship. He was getting affection from Bella, which he really enjoyed. Her touch was so soothing, it was a wonderful thing. She never recoiled from his touch; she never appeared to be disgusted by his monstrous form or uneasy in his presence.

He liked sitting next to her, feeling her close to him. He felt a connection with her, like they were both on the same page.

They understood each other, in more ways than one.

He thought about what she said, keeping his pace, eyes fixed on the road ahead.

"I know how you feel; I never met my father. He left my mother soon after I was born."

Bella turned her head to face him, surprised by his statement. She already guessed the reason why his father had left him, but didn't say anything. She didn't want to cause him more pain by saying something. She could sometimes be too direct, too outspoken, and in situations like these, she knew it was best to stay silent.

She only imagined how bad he felt, how hard this was on him. He probably felt responsible for what happened.

She knew how alone he felt, she knew because she felt it too. She didn't have anyone, neither did he. That was probably why they connected so well with each other in the first place.

She felt like she only understood a tiny part of his problem, but she promised herself that she would try harder, she wanted to know him, understand him completely.

She would have to try harder. Be more persistent and maybe he would open up to her, more than he already had. She wanted to know it all. She wanted to know everything that is to be known about him.

She never imagined that they would become so intimate with each other. He was a truly exceptional person; a true friend. She never would have guessed that things would end up this way. She never thought that they would ever become so close.

From fear to friendship; it was a rather strange outcome. She felt safe with him, he gave her the freedom to be herself, and she did the same with him. She felt free for the first time in her life; it was a wonderful sensation. She wondered if he felt the same way.

Surely he had felt suppressed, alienated as well. She knew that he had, there was no need to ask. She could see him, everything that he was on the outside, and that certainly didn't make his life any easier.

She was saddened by that fact, he had such a good heart and he was so kind to her. But he was sad, she could see it in his eyes, in the way he walked and held himself. He had his head down almost all the time; he avoided looking straight in her eyes, especially when they were talking. She caught him looking at her on a few occasions, as if he was expecting something. She assumed that he never expected to get close to someone, other than his mother. He never imagined that he would have a friend one day that accepted him for what he was, and didn't hate for what he didn't have.

She looked ahead, as if she was expecting to see something out of the ordinary. The only thing that came in her view was a house, majestic and welcoming, but mysterious in a unusual way. It was a beautiful home, in which she assumed was habited by Leon's mother.

She looked at him and smiled, nodding in understanding. She was glad the journey was over. They had walked for over an hour, 40 minutes on her part, but it felt much longer. Maybe it was because they had talked a lot, shared secrets with each other and held a conversation that neither of them had planned to go as far as it did.

They would have the chance to get to know each other more deeply, now that they had arrived. Bella was anxious, but didn't let it show. She was nervous about meeting Leon's mother, but she hoped that their first encounter would go well.

She reached out to grab his hand, out of habit or fear of the upcoming situation; she couldn't be sure.

This was the moment where things would change. Some one else was going to be added to the equation.

Leon's mother.


	11. Chapter 11

Baby or beast ch. 11

The very idea of meeting Leon's mother made her incredibly nervous. She didn't know what to expect, she couldn't anticipate what would happen next. She was aware that Mary had expectations, from Leon and from her as well.

She didn't know what would come of this. Whatever it was, Bella hoped that she would be ready for it.

Leon opened the door and stepped inside the house. He found it unusual that the door was unlocked but didn't think much of it. That probably meant that his mother was home.

It was very dark; he could hardly see anything in front of him. He started to look for the light switch, running his hand up against the wall in an attempt to find it.

He turned on the lights.

To his surprise, the house was exactly the same as he remembered. He had assumed that it would be different, but in truth, he didn't know what he had expected. He thought that his mother might have wanted to change things around the house with him gone. Repaint the walls, buy new furniture or even fix her garden.

But everything was the same as before.

He recognized her scent; it was everywhere; in the air, in every corner, in every fabric. It was so familiar and undeniably comforting. It brought back memories from his childhood, things that he cherished dearly. He remembered how his mother would wrap him up in blankets before putting him to bed. She used to read him bedtime stories from his favorite books. That would make his imagination run wild. He would spend hours making up stories, always finding inspiration in the tales that his mother would read to him.

He didn't know if his mother had kept those writings; the notebooks filled with the stories that were his own creations. Secretly he hoped that those works had been thrown away. He didn't want Bella to read them, nor did he want his mother to mention them at any time. He wasn't embarrassed; he just wanted his passion for writing fictional stories to be kept a secret. He wrote those stories for himself and had little desire to share them with other people. Not Bella, nor his mother or anyone else. He didn't want his stories to be criticized. But mostly, he didn't want to be put in an awkward situation. There were some things that he wanted to keep for himself, to be kept private. Those writings were amongst them.

Thinking back, he wished that he could go back to simpler times, when it was just him and his mother, and no one else. When worries didn't take over every aspect of their lives and drifted them apart. He never realized just how much he missed those times, those moments shared with the only person that ever truly cared about him. He wanted to relive those moments all over again, but it was impossible the only thing he could do was to accept that those times had come and passed and try to find other sources of happiness and inspiration.

Maybe Bella would be the reason why he would find happiness again. The moments that they had spent together were truly special for Leon. Secretly, he hoped that she felt the same way. That she cherished those memories as much as he did.

He had no idea how she felt, no way to guess what was going through her head. She made him feel safe and ironically enough, she almost made him feel normal.

She succeeded where his mother had failed.

The way she spoke to him, treated him and behaved around him made all the difference. She didn't treat him any differently than anyone else. She didn't make him feel like he was a freak; like he was worth anything less. She accepted him and he hoped, appreciated him and the times they had spent together.

They searched the entire house but found it empty. Leon had assumed that his mother would have been here if the doors were unlocked.

So, where was she?

It was a strange situation and it made him somewhat nervous. Bella noticed the change and got closer to him. She then placed her smaller hand over his larger one. The gesture made Leon jump a bit, obviously surprised by the unexpected physical contact, but after a few seconds, he began to relax.

His mind was elsewhere. He resisted the urge to put his arm around her waist and pull her closer to him. He loved having her close to him, feeling her body next to his. Her warmth, her presence, her kind words and actions, he was addicted to it all; and more importantly, he was addicted to her.

He enjoyed having her around, spending time with her and doing things with her, just the two of them. They started to read together and they both enjoyed it. He had made her discover new authors and books, always looking forward in sharing them with her, even if he already knew what those stories contained.

When she told him how much she enjoyed it, he couldn't hide his happiness. He didn't know what had gotten into him, but after she shared this with him, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

She looked down, blushing, with a small smile painted on her lips.

Leon never felt such strong emotions, or perhaps he had, but it was never like this. He felt a comforting warmth all over his body, making him blush under his fur.

He had no idea why he did that.

He never kissed a girl before, nor did he ever come close to being kissed by one.

He wanted to hold her, feel her, touch her, and be touched in return. He wanted to feel that comforting warmth again, which only seemed to manifest itself when Bella was with him.

Was she causing this?

He wondered what other changes Bella brought upon him. He soon realized that he was no longer feeling constant sadness, nor was he suffering from the overwhelming sentiment of agonizing loneliness.

She made him happy, he realized; more than anyone else in the world.

He never felt inner peace before she came along, at least not in the same way he was feeling it now.

He squeezed her hand lightly and smiled at her.

He never wanted to leave her side. He didn't want to go on without having her in his life. He never wanted those moments to end.

He pulled her along the corridor and as they entered the living room, Leon picked her up and cradled her in his arms, continuing to walk towards the couch. He sat down with her and pulled her even closer to him. As her head rested on his shoulder, with eyes closed, she looked peaceful. He could feel her breathing on this neck; it was warm and calming. He wanted to stay like this forever.

Then, something strange happened, for what seemed like the first time.

He began to feel hard. There was an unexpected bulging in his pants, which he never experienced before. It was soon followed by an intense throbbing sensation that began when he allowed Bella to sit on his lap. He knew that she could feel it too.

What happened next was something he never would have expected.

She positioned herself on his lap, so she would be facing him, and looked at him with an expression that he could indentify. Then she started to run both of her hands down his legs and found what she was looking for.

What she did next took Leon totally by surprise.

She placed her hand over the lump in his pants and gently began to rub. Leon yelped out in surprise but soon gave in and let her continue. He moaned in pleasure and closed his eyes. But as soon as the sound escaped his mouth, she pulled her hand away.

He began to doubt reality again when she started to kiss him.

She was still hesitant, he could tell that much. But after the brief few seconds of their last intimate contact, her doubt didn't last long.

He had pushed her away before, when she tried to touch his face. It happened shortly after they met for the first time, in the little cabin deep in the woods.

He had recoiled from her touch every time.

But now it seemed that he didn't have the strength to push her away. Normally, he didn't like to be touched. His faces, his neck, his head, were places that he rarely tolerated anyone to lay their hands on. Leon was convinced that he would rather be stripped naked than let her put her hands on his face. That made him feel unbelievably vulnerable. It was a reminder that he was a freak, a monster.

It seemed different with Bella. She was gentle, with her delicate fingers tracing along his jaw line, running through his fur…

He kept his eyes closed, fearing that if he opened them, this would reveal itself to be nothing more than a dream.

He never went this far with a girl before, and never would have if she hadn't landed on his doorstep.

He realized that he was getting scared. He was afraid of what she was doing to him. She was changing the way he saw everything, making him believe that impossible things could happen.

Making him believe, even for a moment, that a beautiful girl like her could fall in love with him.

Unexpected, surreal, impossible…

Those were the best words he could think of to describe the situation he was in.

Disbelief was the dominant emotion that ran through him. It was also the perfect word to describe his state of mind.

He lifted his fury hand and reached out to touch her hair. He began to run his fingers through her golden curls; feeling their softness and breathing her scent.

It was more than he expected. It felt so natural, to be this close to her. It was good, to be close to someone. It was so easy, so effortless.

But as much as he enjoyed being this close to her, he knew that he needed to rest. He didn't realize he was tired until this moment. Leon wanted to go to his former room and curl up on the bed. Whether Bella came with him or not was irrelevant, he just needed to sleep. But something was keeping his from doing what he wanted to do.

Was it her, or did it come from another source? He got up, still struggling to keep his eyes open.

As he got up, he hardly noticed another figure hiding in the darkness.


	12. Chapter 12

He walked back to his room, after pushing her away.

Léon was overwhelmed with emotions that he had never truly experienced before.

Frustrated by his inability to deal with his feelings of self loathing and inadequacy, he did the only thing he could think of at the time.

He got up and left, convincing himself that it was for the best, not ever paying attention to her sad expression or the motherly figure standing in the darkness…

She felt horrible about the whole situation. She was well aware that doing something like that to him was a bad idea. She knew that now.

She had been the first and only girl, even remotely close to his age, that he'd ever been close to.

With his appearance, it wasn't all that had to believe. He never had a relationship with someone mother than his mother, he had told her so.

She couldn't help but feel sorry for him, but she knew that the last thing he needed was pity.

He needed someone to be there for him, to tell him that everything would be alright, but she doubted her ability to provide that kind of support for him.

Bella was frustrated with herself, for more reasons than one.

Not only was she ashamed of what she had done, or try to do earlier, but she was puzzled by his behavior. She understood why he did what he did, but she didn't get why he felt the need to act this way around her.

All those years of solitude must've taken a toll on him. She thought sadly.

That, and the fact that he missed out on almost every normal thing there was to experience. Even the simplest things were unknown to him.

Going to school, working and Things as simple as walking down the street and having friends were mysteries to him.

She knew that he felt like he didn't deserve any of those things, simply because of the way he looked.

She felt an unshaken desire to go to him.

She wanted to bring comfort to him, such a tortured, gentle soul.

She also wanted some kind of explanation from him, to justify his previous actions.

Bella was now fully aware that understanding Léon would be a much harder task than she had originally expected…

His whole body ached from the pleasure she had just given him, just moments earlier.

He wanted so much more than just a simple, innocent touch.

The whole concept of intimacy was fairly new to him, having always pushed those thoughts, those feelings in the back of his mind. He never saw much of a point in exploring that particular aspect of life, thinking it o be more of a waste of time than anything else.

He would never know the pleasures that would come from a romantic relationship.

He was a monster after all.

What woman in her right mind would fall in love with him, let alone be intimate with him?

The very thought was painful to him.

He was not human; he was a monster.

Nothing and no one would ever change that.

Léon wondered why he felt like he had so much love to give.

He knew he was capable of love, despite everything; his appearance, his animalistic nature, his insecurities…

There were times when bitterness and despair took over him.

He didn't have to wonder why.

Why had he been born like this?

Why had he been given the body of an animal, but the mind of a man?

He never believed in god, so seeing his situation as nothing more than a curse was a ridiculous notion for the beast.

'' A just and loving god wouldn't allow such a thing'' He thought bitterly.

Over the years, his loneliness and isolation took a toll; he grew angry, for obvious and understandable reasons.

Growing up, he would sometimes ask his mother why he wasn't allowed to have friends. She always looked back at him with an expression he had grown to hate: that of pity.

She would give him very vague answers, and it didn't take long for Léon to come up with the answer.

His mother was ashamed, and he was a monster, unworthy and undeserving of friends.

Before Bella came along, he had never been in contact with someone his own age. It was strange at times; until a few months ago, the only other person he had ever known was his mother.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, still lost in thought.

Maybe if he rested for a while, that throbbing he felt in his lower abdomen would go away.

He hated the idea of sleeping alone, now that he had experienced what it was like to share a bed with someone else.

It wouldn't be a restful sleep, he was sure of it.

His sleep was filled with dreams, some good and some bad.

Walking through the woods; source of worry and apprehension now that he knew how dangerous the wolves were, he saw Bella.

She was even more beautiful than the first time he laid eyes on her.

She was wearing a white summer dress; her golden hair was down past her shoulders and was decorated with a small, delicate pink flower.

She looked like an angel.

His angel; he thought.

She was several feet in front of him, making her way through the woods, hips swaying, making delicate movements with her arms.

She was singing a quiet song. He couldn't quite understand the words, but it sounded beautiful.

''She has such a lovely voice'' Léon thought, as he followed her.

He had never heard her sing before.

He found the experience to be quite enjoyable.

He followed her, walking closely behind.

His eyes were focused on her small figure, her swaying movements, almost hypnotic.

After a few moments, she stopped.

So did her singing.

As if struck with a panic, he looked for a quick exit; a way to run away .From her and from the reaction he somehow knew was coming.

His worst fear came true.

She screamed.

She had turned around, as if she had heard his footsteps, and as soon as she saw his, it started.

The screams, the look of terror in her eyes, the tears…

A feeling of self hatred soon followed, and it slowly filled his heart.

If there ever was a moment in his life, that Léon would have wanted to disappear, it was now.

He couldn't handle it; everything she was doing was driving him crazy.

Her screams painfully filled his ears, making him loose a little bit more of his sanity with every passing moment.

His eyes were getting teary; he covered his pain ridden ears with his paws, trying to block the sound of her disturbing outburst.

Finding a way to make her stop was the only thing that occupied his mind.

But he couldn't move.

He was paralyzed with fear.

After a few minutes that seemed life forever, her screams were replaced by sobs, quiet, but still as hurtful for Léon.

He watched the whole scene, helpless, unable to respond as she did the things he had so desperately tried to prevent, by any way possible.

Watching her act this way was pure torture for him.

He wanted to see her smile, for her to be the way she was before; kind, gentle and unafraid of him.

Regaining focus was a difficult task, but he succeeded after a few minutes.

He had to face his fears, and now was a good time as ever.

All of this was a dream, a manifestation of his worst fears and insecurities; therefore, none of it was actually happening. But it all felt so real.

So real in fact that he somehow doubted the obvious.

He snapped out of it, and slowly made his way towards her.

Her sobs were still frequent and the look of fear hadn't left her eyes.

He made a conscious effort not to make any sudden movements, as one would do if approaching some kind of wild or injured animal.

Léon wanted to reach out to her as she had, only a few weeks before.

She had found the strength and the courage to go after him, despite her injuries and the fact that he was a beast, to comfort him.

It was the most surreal moment of his life.

Somehow, at this moment, returning the favor seemed like the right thing to do.

Only a few feet away, Léon closed the space between them, getting on his knees to be of eye level to her.

He tried to look as unthreatening as possible, but it wasn't an easy thing to accomplish, for obvious reasons.

He reached out and gently touched the side of her face, feeling the wetness of her tears on her cheek. He hoped to bring some comfort to her, despite her fear.

Their eyes met, and much to his disappointment (or relief!), the dream ended.

He woke up, feeling slightly nauseous.

His heart was racing; his breathing quick and uneasy.

He felt relieved that it had all been a dream.

Having Bella react this way around him would be the worst possible thing.

He never wanted to see that again, no matter what.

He would never voluntarily or intentionally give her a reason to be afraid of him.

He would do everything it took to make her happy, comfortable, safe…

Then, maybe by some crazy twist of fate or miracle, she would come to think of him as more than a friend, or her savior.

People say that it doesn't hurt to dream, but he strongly disagreed.

Dreams were dangerous, because hope soon followed.

Hope, he thought, wasn't for him…

The dark figure standing in the shadows, unseen and unheard, had witnessed Léon's dream; paying attention to what had happened and what was unfolding as a result.

She heard Léon's inner monologue, while watching him experience his worst fears.

Whether she had been incapable of interfering or simply unwilling, she wasn't sure.

She wanted to see how things would turn out.

Getting involved would disrupt the events that were clearly in motion, but satisfying her curiosity was worth it to her.

She would keep a close eye on them, watching, waiting…

If they ever needed her help, she would be there, but until then, she would stay hidden.

Destiny had plans for these two.

Whether or not they would be willing to follow that path was entirely up to them…


End file.
